THE OTHER ROOM: EP. 146 - SONGWRITER STEPH JONES!
on her favorite perfumes, home base notes, and more!
The Other Room is the official Perfume Room companion post-show. Every Tuesday, hear from guests on their episode of Perfume Room podcast, and on Fridays, enjoy bonus content from those same guests exclusively on Substack!
This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Steph Jones, songwriter and fraghead extraordinaire. Steph strikes me as the kind of person who never meets a stranger. Her demeanor is so down to earth that if you didn’t happen to know she was one of the industry’s most esteemed and sought-after collaborators, you just might not.
But she is. And her catalogue (an *industry term* I learned during our interview;)) is prolific. Responsible for top-charters like Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” and “Nonsense;” and Selena Gomez’s “People You Know;” and with collaborations from everyone from Shawn Mendes, to Reneé Rapp, to Celine Dion; Steph has most certainly been in your ears before.
AND SHE LOVES PERFUME. Certified (in Advanced Olfaction via Cinquieme Sens) and bonafide fangirl, Steph weaves fragrance into all that she is and all that she creates. It’s part of her songwriting sessions with artists, her daily ritual, her manifestation practice, and her everyday.
If you haven’t listened to her episode on Perfume Room (DO IT!), you can check it out here. Today, she’s in The Other Room chatting about her personal collection, favorite smells, go-to notes, and holy grails.
(Some links may be eligible for affiliate commission. Find my affiliate discount codes at the end of the interview.)
Can you share a few more gems from your personal collection?
Lately I’ve been revisiting some old favs - Rogue’s Derviche II and Ex Idolo’s Thirty Three.
Are any of the artists you work with as big into perfume as you are?
My friend Maren Morris is absolutely as big of a fraghead as I am. We can and have talked about fragrance for hours!
What's the best non-perfume smell in the world?
It’s a toss up between gasoline and sharpie for me! :)
Have you ever complimented a stranger in the wild on their scent? What were they wearing?
Oh I have definitely done this recently - they were wearing Fleur De Peau and it smelled so beautiful on them!
And for you? Anything that strangers have stopped you over?
I have been stopped a lot for Purple Suede by Goldfield and Banks, Costume National Homme, and every single Escentric Molecules fragrance I own!
A perfume brand or perfumer that can do no wrong?
Quentin Bisch!!!
I know we talked about how orris is my home base. What's yours!
I have a feeling my home base will always be Cedar or Patchouli.
A holy grail item that people need to know!
Honestly, candle warmer lamps are my most recent holy grail game changer!
What does your home smell like?
I love candles. Most recently I bought the new Ambroxyde 17 candle by Le Labo and have been also burning Aesop incense (I am obsessed), so currently my home smells like an expensive earthy hotel and I love it.
Since Catalogue is coming(!), I must selfishly ask: if you were scenting me (hehe), what would you pick?
Ooo! This is a tall order to pick a fragrance for one of my fragrance gurus, but I think I would pull Orris Wakan by Amouage for you! Simple, beautiful, and Orris forward! [EDITOR’S NOTE: yes yes yes.]
I forgot to ask you the quintessential question of Perfume Room on your episode; let me redeem myself here: what is the smell of Steph Jones!!
I think the smell of Steph Jones is always changing… but lately it’s been BIG fragrances! Anything that makes me feel sophisticated, grounded, powerful, and curious!
FOLLOW : @iamstephjones
GET SCENT-STYLED BY STEPH: www.catalogue.church
Listen to Steph’s episode on Perfume Room on Spotify.
And when you’re done, stream her music.
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